Uncoupling device for car couplers



July 27,1926. 1 1,593, 22

- G. G. GlLPlN UNCOUPLING DEVICE FOR CAR COUPLERS Fi led June 4, 1925 I Jfzvenior 'Q 4 Gar/i1 616%,

Patented July 27,

i GARTH G. fGILPIN, 50F;;RIVERSIDE,.ILL1NOIS,; ASSIGNQR;TOJII NIQN M QEALJEQDUQT @COMPANY, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,. 1A; GQBEQRA'EION F; .nngnnwnnn.

UNCOUPLING DEVICE FOR CAR COUPLERS.

.Application filedJuneA, 1923. Serial No. 643,266.

This particular invention relates to What is generally known in the ,artas the push down or verticalzplane typeofuncou'pling device for car couplers andcomprises two :3 leversuhaving their adjacent. ends .pivotally mounted on the same fulcrum. Suchdevices areoperated elther by the hand or: foot.

(The particular advantage ofithis oonstruc- .tion residesin the imannei: in .whichthe le- 1" versware. pivoted upon the.:fulcru1n.) In. le-

'-"l. of the. fulcrum end ofithe. pin lifting lever vers of .this general. type. theconnection between" the levers must. allow. the pin lifting lever to move freely. laterally to. accommodate the longitudinal movement of the coup- .ler. in draft .and in- .loul'ling.

The manner of operatively connectingthe two levers and mounting. them ona vcommon fulcrum, in'accordance .With this invention, provides a'separate connection allowing play the -operatinglever raises the inner end; of [the pin lifting lever.

.' of, the itiltingoiithe lovers considerably; re-

' their 1 fulcrum.

Good: practice requires thatthe handle end of, the operating lever bepositioned slightly in" frontj of the verticalplane of the; tace of 'in horizontal .plane Without transmitting such movement to the operating 7 lever, and

' furthermore, provides means of .operatively attachingthe operat ng. lever to the fulcrum which prevents or restricts ,its ilater'al move- ...ment. a

. The impact of coupling causes sudden ..longitudina1 movement of the coupler, which movement is-transmitted tothe-adj'acentiend of the-pin lifting lever. and :Woulcl;be:transi mittedto the operating lever unless that lever; is prevented from .moving laterally. SWitohmen frequently .ride a movingh .car

whilecoupling it=and at. thesame time sig- .nalthei-engineen In such. an act hesusually holds on to the grabiron Withhisdefthand 1 i and signals the engineer With his rightdiand \vhilehis left :loot is on ithelsill-step. and his right foot is on: the operating lever; While i iIlHSlQlCh aiposition a sudden movement of. the operating lever has a tendency to,-a,and -;Ere- ;,.quently does, throw him from the car. One

of the objects, thereiore, is, to provide a device which issafe, for the" switchman. to J iopei'ate.

I separate connectingunemhenand .loearlng block; has-,theadvantages o1 increasing the end sill; and below the push pole pocket. This is a generally;recognizedlocation of this handle; therefore, switch nen can reach it, quickly. even inthe darkness. It isadv vantageous,;there,fore tonot permit the-lever to movelaterally and -especially-advantageous not to allovvthe sudden o'r-j'erky move- .ment of the-pin'j-lit'ting lever Ptof-be transmitted to the operating lever.

' Another object' is; torprovide an arrangement "for, ,conneeti-ngthe two' -levers to'l the .i'ulcrum'vvhich also preventstheleversfrom l tipping and thereby binding on the fulcrum and" causing friction. Means are provided to-restrict;the moveinentjof-the lever in a vertical plane=which is a requirement oftlie Interstate Commerce ;Uomm1'ssion,Satety appliance acts.

' In the drawings Fig. 1 is airagmentarytfront viewxof a' -freight car'. With-"the device applied. thereon.

the :bearing. .area on the journal fulcrum,

. thereby, re ducingsthe ,friction and snaking ing the Wear onthelassociatedrparts. :The

. the. device easier to operateandualsoreducm connecting block non-rotativ,ely ,connects.

the operatinglever-and:the pinilifting lever .so that foroeexertedi on- .the outer; end of.-

. ig. 2' is-a perspective vievv" ofgthe fulcrum casting.

3- is a perspective view" of the, connecting. a d beati g b oc ig, iis eperspeotivevieyv off thevvasher. ,5 is a perspective view ofithe nut. Eig. Sis a plan view,,shoming,the connection. of theleversvviththe parts, in operative assembled position.

. 1 Fig. Zfisaperspective view. of thefulcrllm end, ofithe operat ng eve Fig-,8 is aiperspectiveuvievv of thefulcrum end of the .piniliftinlgilever.

The end sill 1; push pole pocket; 2;.. strikingioasting ixnnd coupler it are s aliparts (and of the car. The fulcrum casting is secured to the end sill or other part of the car by rivets 6 and the fulcrum has an integral journal 7 upon which is rotatively mounted the connecting and bearing block 8. This bearing block is held in operative position by washer 9 which in turn is held in place by bolt 10 and nut 11.

The exterior perimeter of the connecting block 8 is rectangular and the operating lever 12 and pin lifting lever 13 are provided with rectangular apertures and 15 respectively through which the connecting block 8 passes soas to provide a non-rotative connection between the levers and the connect ing block. WVhile the drawings illustrate rectangular apertures it is understood that any ariumgeemnt which provides a nonrotative connection between the levers and the connecting block will come within the scope ofthis invention.

That portion 16 of the connecting block which engages the operating lever 12 is slightly smaller than the portion 17 which engages the pin lifting lever 13 hereby forming shoulders 18 which shoulders together with the shoulders 19 provided by the fulcrum casting, form means for restricting the lateral movement of the operating lever,

device is in assembled that is, when the The fulcrum end of the operative position.

pin lifting lever is deflected, as shown in Fig. 8, and positioned between the operating lever and pointed shoulder 20 on the connecting block so that it is free to move laterally to accommodate the draft movements of the coupler but does not transmit such movement to the operating lever. Furthermore, the positioning of the fulcrum end of the operating lever between the adjacent shoulders prevents or substantially restricts the operating lever frommoving laterally.

The pin lifting lever 13 is connected to the eye 21 of the coupler lock lifter in the usual manner and the operating lever 12 is extended toward the outer wall of the car so that the handle 22 or pedal 22 is located in any desired position.

lVhile this'invention is illustrated as applied to a certain type of freight car, it is readily adapted with but slight immaterial changes for application to other types.

I claim: I

1. In an uncoupling device for railway rs comprising an operating lever having aperture adjacent its fiiilcrum end, a pin lifting lever having an aperture adjacent its fulcrum end, a member passing through said apertures having non-rotative connec tion therewith, a fulcrum passing through said member having a rotative'connection therewith, and means integral with said parts restricting lateral movement of said operating lever.

in an uncoupling device for railway cars comprising an operating lever having an aperture adjacent its fulcrum end, a pin lifting lever having an aperture adjacent its fulcrum end, a double shouldered member passing through said apertures having a non-rotative connection therewith, a shouldered fulcrum passing through said member having a rotative connection therewith, said operating lever positioned between the shoulder on the fulcrum and one of the shoulders on said member, and said pin lifting lever positioned between the shoulders on said member.

3. In an uncoupling device for railway cars comprising an operating lever having an aperture adjacent its fulcrum end, a pin lifting lever having an aperture adjacent its fulcrum end, a shouldered member passing through said apertures having a non-rotative connection therewith, a shouldered fulcrum passing through said member having a rotative connection therewith, said oper ating lever positioned between the shoulder on the member and the shoulder of the fulcrum so as to restrict its lateral movement, and means to retain said parts in operative position.

l. In an uncoupling device for railway cars comprising an operating lever having an aperture adjacent its fulcrum end, a pin lifting lever having an aperture adjacent its fulcrum end, a two shouldered member passing through said apertures having a nonrotative connection therewith, a shouldered fulcrum passing through said member-having a rotative connection therewith, said operating lever positioned between the shoulder on the fulcrum and one of the shoulders on said member so as to restrict its lateral movement, said pin lifting lever positioned between the other shoulder on said member and the operating lever so as to permit sufficient lateral movement to accommodate the device in service, and means to retain said parts in operative position.

5. In an uncoupling device for railway cars comprising an operating lever having an aperture adjacent its fulcrum end, a pin lifting lever having an aperture adjacent its fulcrum end, a two shouldered member passing through said apertures having a non-rotative connection therewith, a shouldered fulcrum passing through said member having a rotative connection therewith, said operating lever positioned between the shoulder of the fulcrum and one of the shoulders on said member so as to restrict its lateral movement, said pin lifting lever having its fulcrum end deflected and positioned between the other shoulder on said member and the operating lever so as to per mit sufiicient lateral movement to accommodate the device in service, and means to retain said parts in operative position.

6. In an uncoupling device for railway cars comprising an operating lever having an aperture adjacent its fulcrum end, a pin lifting lever having a larger aperture adjacent its fulcrum end, a member having an exterior portion Which passes through and non-rotatively engages the aperture of the operating lever and having another larger exterior portion Which passes through and non-rotatively engages the apertures of the pin lifting lever, a fulcrum passing through said member having a rotative connection therewith, and means to retain said parts in operative position.

7. As an article of manufacture for uncoupling devices for car couplers; a combined connecting member and bearing block having a circular interior bearing and two polygonal exterior lever engaging portions of different sizes forming a shoulder.

8. As an article of manufacture for uncoupling devices for car couplers; a combined connecting member and bearing block having a circular interior bearing and tWo polygonal exterior lever engaging portions of different sizes forming a shoulder, and lugs projecting from the larger of said portions.

9. In an uncoupling device for railway cars comprising an operating lever having an aperture ad acent 1ts fulcrum end, a pm lifting lever havingan aperture adjacent its fulcrum end, one of said apertures being larger than the other, a member having sep arate exterior portions which pass through and non-rotatively engage said apertures, a fulcrum passing through said member hav ing a rotative connection therewith, and means to retain saidparts in operative positi on.

GARTH G. G-ILPIN. 

